Breaking down the Indians' 2013 roster

Always keep this in mind: the 25-man roster a major-league team begins the season with is almost never the same 25-man roster the team ends the season with.

With that in mind, here (with their ages in parenthesis) are the 25 players -- including comments on what will be expected of each this season -- who will be in uniform Tuesday, when the Indians open the 2013 season in Toronto vs. the Blue Jays:

PITCHERS

Advertisement

Matt Albers (30) -- Acquired by the Indians from Arizona as part of that mammoth three-team offseason trade, Albers, who pitched for Terry Francona in Boston, will be one of the right-handers in the bullpen who will fill in the gaps as necessary in front of the Big Three of Chris Perez, Vinnie Pestano and Joe Smith.

Cody Allen (24) -- Selected in the 23rd round of the 2011 June Draft, he made a meteoric rise through the Indians' minor-league system and arrived in the big leagues one year later. He will help out Pestano and Smith as a setup man, as needed.

Nick Hagadone (27) -- He will be one of two left-handers in the bullpen, and could be used as a matchup lefty vs. specific left-handed hitters, or he could pitch an inning or more.

Rich Hill (33) -- Another former Red Sox reliever who followed Francona to Cleveland, Hill will be the other lefty in the bullpen, with Hagadone. He had a 1.83 ERA in 25 appearances with Boston last year.

Ubaldo Jimenez (29) -- It's fish or cut bait time for the Indians with this failed rotation booster. He's been a major flop since being acquired in a trade with Colorado. If the flopping continues deep into this season, the last of his contract, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Indians trade or release him at mid-season.

Scott Kazmir (29) -- He's hoping to resurrect his career after winning a spot in the starting rotation during spring training. He used to be a very good major-league pitcher, but there is a reason why last winter he was very much unemployed. Financially, he's a low-risk signing, who if it doesn't work out will likely be an in-season release, a'la Derek Lowe last year.

Justin Masterson (28) -- The Indians have a lot riding on their No. 1 starter. If he pitches like he did in 2011 (12-10, 3.21) the Indians could be contenders. If he pitches like he did in 2012 (11-15, 4.93), the Indians will be holding another mid-season fire sale.

Zach McAllister (25) -- He'll start the season as the No. 4 starter. At 6-foot-6, 240 pounds he has the look of a durable rotation workhorse. He also has yet to pitch a full season at the major-league level, so it's not like he's a sure thing.

Brett Myers (32) -- He's been both a starter and a reliever during his career, and been good and bad in both roles. He'll be the Indians' No. 3 starter. They would like it if he could pitch 200 innings, and they would love it if most of them were good innings.

Chris Perez (27) -- He missed a big chunk of spring training with an injury, but he missed a big chunk of spring training last year with an injury and still made the All-Star team for the second consecutive year. He needs 40 more saves to break Bob Wickman's club record for a career (139).

Vinnie Pestano (28) -- The closer-in-waiting if and when Perez gets traded, but for now he'll continue in his current role as one of the top eighth-inning setup men in the majors.

Bryan Shaw (25) -- Like Albers, Shaw was acquired from Arizona in that three-team offseason blockbuster, he used a monster spring training in which he had a 0.90 ERA and averaged 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings, to pitch his way onto the opening day roster.

Joe Smith (29) -- Had a really under-appreciated year last season, going 7-4 with a 2.96 ERA for a 94-loss team. His sidearm delivery gives the bullpen a different look, and he's extremely durable, having pitched over 70 games in each of the last two seasons.

CATCHERS

Lou Marson (26) -- For the right team, in the right situation, a backup catcher can make a lot of money and have a long career in the major leagues. Marson seems to be in the right situation with the Indians.

Carlos Santana (26) -- By now you know his profile: lots of home runs, lots of walks, lots of strikeouts. Probably won't play as much first base this season, which means he's going to have to work even harder at improving his defense behind the plate.

INFIELDERS

Mike Aviles (32) -- The Indians' Swiss army knife. He can play almost any position, and those types of players have value, as evidenced by the fact that the Indians have already signed him to a two-year contract.

Asdrubal Cabrera (27) -- At the start of the offseason, he seemed destined to be traded, but then the Indians started spending money and adding players, and now he's a key guy again. He could still be a trade chip, should the season spin out of control by mid-summer.

Lonnie Chisenhall (24) -- He was a hitting-machine, with power, in spring training. If he has a big time breakout season, the Indians' already improved lineup suddenly looks dominating.

Jason Kipnis (25) -- Faded badly in the second half last season, and didn't hit much in spring training, but nobody seems worried. Why? He's a gamer. And the games that count are about to begin.

Ryan Raburn (31) -- He's a utilityman clone of Aviles, but with more power. The Indians in 2013 might have their best bench in over a decade.

Mark Reynolds (29) -- He'll be mostly the DH, and occasional first baseman. The Indians would sign up today for his 2009 season in Arizona, when he set a major league record for strikeouts in a season with 223. Why? Because that was the year he also belted 44 home runs, with 102 RBI.

Nick Swisher (32) -- Captain Feelgood has been the picture of consistency over the last eight years, hitting between 21 and 35 homers, with between 69 and 93 RBI every year, and he throws in that bubbly, fan-friendly over-the-top personality at no extra charge.

OUTFIELDERS

Michael Bourn (30) -- At the start of the offseason, nobody thought the Indians had any chance at signing him as a free agent. Then it was Valentine's Day and he still hadn't signed with anyone. The Indians swooped in with $44 million, and they now have their new leadoff hitter: Kenny Lofton Lite.

Michael Brantley (25) -- A consummate professional. Quiet, productive, low-maintenance. He's still only 25, but more mature than many of his older teammates. Some guys would have squawked about being bumped from centerfield to left field to make room for Bourn. Brantley isn't some of those guys.

Drew Stubbs (28) -- An elite athlete, he has power and speed and plays Gold Glove caliber defense. The .213 batting average and 166 strikeouts last year for the Reds? Hey, there's a reason why he was available in a trade.